


It Could Be Different (but maybe we missed it)

by LadyOrion



Series: Only You and I [6]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Apologies, Kinda, Light Angst, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Post-Descendants 3, like right after, or more than light idk, they work stuff out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-28 02:35:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20418488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOrion/pseuds/LadyOrion
Summary: Harry and Audrey turned to see Jay, who smiled at them. “It’d really mean a lot to them to hear that,” he said to Audrey, who nodded determinedly. “And speaking of apologizing for being horrible, can I talk to Harry?”Audrey looked a bit puzzled, but nodded, heading across the room to where Evie, Mal, and Uma were standing and talking. Jay turned to Harry, eyes pleading.“Can we talk? Please?”xTitle from "It Should've Been Us" by Tori Kelly





	It Could Be Different (but maybe we missed it)

**Author's Note:**

> I know some people were wanting me to write more about events in the actual D3 movie, because there was a lot of good Harry/Jay stuff. Honestly, I did too. I just kind of ran out of time. Maybe I'll revisit it later with a series of one shots or something idk.

Jay leaned over the railing, watching the party rage on below him. Mal and Ben’s fancy engagement party had turned into a massive celebration of both Auradon and Isle citizens, celebrating Mal’s decision to lower the barrier for good, ushering in a new era of peace and second chances. The party had since been moved from the courtyard by the bridge to the ballroom of the royal palace, with plenty of food and music. Everyone was joyful, eating and mingling and dancing and having fun.

However, watching Harry spin across the dance floor with Audrey, Jay’s mood was rather dour.

After their messy parting, both when Jay had left the Isle originally and their encounter a few months ago, right before Cotillion, there was a rift between them. Jay didn’t know if he could ever fix it; Harry had been too angry, and really, Jay had left him behind without even a goodbye. How could Jay ever make that up to him? 

Being forced to work together to break Audrey’s curse had given Jay a bit of hope that it might be possible to start again; despite their initial distrust of each other, and the bad blood between them, they’d managed to look out for one another and even be friendly. But every time, past memories would get in the way and the air between them turned awkward again. And while Harry didn’t seem particularly angry anymore, there was something tense and rigid about the space between them, like a wall Jay couldn’t tell which one of them was holding up. Maybe both of them. 

He sighed to himself, sullenly watching Harry twirl Audrey around, laughing. While the noise of the party meant Jay couldn’t actually hear it, the pirate’s wild, gleeful laugh echoed across his memories.  _ This is such a mess, _ Jay lamented.  _ A hopeless mess. _

“You know this is a party,” a voice said from behind him. “Right?”

Uma joined him at the railing, leaning forward on her elbows and glancing over the crowd below them. Her eyes locked on Harry and Audrey, then moved back to Jay with an uncomfortable speed and knowledge. 

“You know, standing up here and moping isn’t going to fix things with him,” Uma said. Jay blinked, mildly perturbed by her blunt tone. He wasn’t even going to bother asking how she found out about him and Harry. Instead, he looked away from the sea witch’s knowing eyes. 

“Wow, you don’t beat around the bush at all, do you?” he asked, avoiding the complete truth of her statement. Moping wouldn’t fix anything, but it was a hell of a lot easier.

“Nope,” Uma replied, simply. “People don’t like being confronted about their own bullshit, no matter how you dress it up. So I just cut right to the chase. See,” Uma turned bodily to face Jay, resting one elbow on the railing. “Like this: if you want Harry back, why don’t you man up and do something about it?”

Jay considered feigning ignorance, but knew without a doubt that Uma would see right through it. He sighed.

“He hates me,” Jay said. “Yeah, we managed to work together and be civil to beat Audrey, but he’s still really tense around me. He’s still really pissed at me, I know he is. I don’t want to make it worse by trying to be around him too much.”

Uma stared at him, for much longer than Jay was comfortable with, her sharp brown eyes regarding him like he was a baffling puzzle she was trying to understand. 

“So, you think the best way to solve Harry’s abandonment issues with you, is to stay away?” Uma asked finally, quirking an eyebrow. Jay frowned.

“What? I’m just trying not to make him any angrier with me,” Jay said slowly, not sure why Uma was misunderstanding. “Harry needs space when he’s angry, you know that. And he’s really angry, so, you know, a lot of space.”

Uma sighed.

“Look, Jay,” she said frankly. “I actually kinda like you. You’re a good fighter, and you’ve got good instincts. But sometimes, you’re really stupid.”

“Excuse me?”

“Harry’s not  _ mad _ at you,” Uma said, ignoring his indignant response. “Well, he was, and still is, a bit. But mostly, he’s hurt.” Her face turned serious, frowning. There was a slight distant look in her eyes, like she was remembering something grim. “You broke his heart, Jay. The day you left the Isle, was the first and only time I’ve seen Harry cry.”

Jay felt a jolt of shock. His first thought was that she must be joking, but there wasn’t a hint of humor on her face. Jay couldn’t imagine Harry crying, something about the idea seemed impossible. And yet, Uma looked completely serious. And yeah, Jay knew that Harry had cared about him, and maybe even loved him, at one point. But the thought that Harry, someone so strong and unbothered, would cry because of him…

“I really am sorry for that,” Jay said quietly. 

“I’m not the one you need to be telling that,” Uma said. Her tone was blunt, but not cruel, which Jay thought was fairly generous of her. If he’d been in her shoes, talking to someone who broke one of his best friend’s hearts, he wasn’t sure he’d be so forgiving. 

“I know,” Jay replied. “I just…”

“I can tell you’re sorry,” Uma said. “And I can tell you want to tell Harry that. So what’s keeping you from doing it?”

“I...I don’t know how to make it up to him,” Jay muttered, staring down at his feet. Sure, he could say sorry. But what would that fix? What could Jay ever do to deserve being with Harry again, even if that was what Harry wanted?

“That’s not what apologizing is about,” Uma said. “You can’t change what you did to Harry, just like Mal and I can’t change all the awful shit we did to each other, or like Audrey can’t change the fact that she cursed the entire kingdom. Sorry isn’t about making up for the past, it’s about making things better in the future.”

Jay sighed, considering this. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I am.” Uma pushed off the railing. “Talk to Harry.” She paused. “And Jay? Losing you the first time almost destroyed him.  So if there’s even the slightest chance he’ll lose you again, then stay the fuck away from him.”

Without waiting for Jay to reply, Uma walked away, heading back down to the party and leaving Jay alone with his thoughts. 

===

The food, Harry decided, was definitely his favorite part of Auradon so far. 

“What’s this called again?” Harry asked, chewing the bite-sized chocolate-covered pastry he’d been told to try. He realized belatedly that it was probably considered rude amongst royalty to talk with food in your mouth, but Audrey just laughed, not seeming to mind.

“A profiterole,” the princess said with an amused smile. “Or, a cream puff, in English. You like it?”

Harry nodded, enraptured. “It’s French, right?” Audrey nodded. “Cook used to make Uma and me this french sweet bread when we were kids, when he was in a really good mood. And could, ya know, manage to find unspoiled ingredients.”

Audrey’s smile faded slightly. “I guess things were pretty rough on the Isle.”

“Aye,” Harry said, slightly solemnly. “Ya could say that.”

Audrey chewed her lip, her gaze falling to her hands, which were clasped awkwardly in front of her. 

“I never really thought about it,” she said quietly. “How hard it must have been to grow up there. And I guess if I did, I thought it was deserved because it was villains. That their kids must be just like them. Everyone just assumed that you all were evil. That you were a danger.” Audrey sighed. “I never thought about the fact that you all didn’t have a choice.”

Harry smiled slightly. He felt kind of awkward, due to his Isle conditioning, with such an open display of emotion and vulnerability from someone he’d only just met that day. But still, he really appreciated what Audrey said. 

“I guess I never understood how unfair it all was, to assume that, until I...did what I did. If I wasn’t Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, I wouldn’t have been forgiven for cursing the kingdom. If my parent was a villain, I would have been banished, but because my mother was good, I wasn’t. And that’s not right. We shouldn’t be rewarded,” she looked up to meet Harry’s eyes. “Or punished, for who are parents are. I see that now.”

Unsure what to say, but moved nonetheless, Harry put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. Audrey smiled gratefully.

“Do you think,” Audrey said after a moment. “If I said that to your friends, they might forgive me? I was really horrible to them, even before cursing everyone.”

“I know they would,” a new voice said. Harry and Audrey turned to see Jay, who smiled at them. “It’d really mean a lot to them to hear that,” he said to Audrey, who nodded determinedly. “And speaking of apologizing for being horrible, can I talk to Harry?”

Audrey looked a bit puzzled, but nodded, heading across the room to where Evie, Mal, and Uma were standing and talking. Jay turned to Harry, eyes pleading.

“Can we talk? Please?”

Somewhat reluctantly, Harry nodded, and Jay led him out of the ballroom and down the hall. He sat down on a cushioned bench in an alcove, and Harry, after a hesitant pause, sat down next to him. 

“I want to apologize,” Jay said. His voice was sure, but Harry could see the nervousness in his eyes. “For the way things ended between us.”

“Ya mean when ya left me,” Harry said. He didn’t intend it to come out so sharply, but he didn’t try to take it back, or soften it. He thought he was done feeling angry, once their two groups made peace, but he found it was welling up again, now that Jay was bringing it up so openly. 

“You’re right,” Jay replied, somberly. “I did.”

“Ya picked them over me.” The words were falling from his lips. “After everythin’ we've been through. I told ya everythin’, gave you everythin’. And ya left me behind!”

Silence reigned for a long time, as Jay stared at his lap. Harry sighed, about to get up and leave.

“I’m sorry,” Jay said, softly. It wasn’t the big speech or angry justification Harry had been expecting. It caught Harry off guard, rooting him to the spot.

“ _ Sorry? _ ” 

“Well, you’re right,” Jay said, looking up to meet Harry’s eyes. A sorrowful frown tugged at his lips. “Everything you said is true, and there’s nothing to justify it or make it okay. So I’m sorry, Harry, I’m so sorry. We fell apart because of me. We can barely look at each other now, because of me. I loved you,” Harry sucked in a startled breath. “And I hurt you. I’m sorry.”

Jay looked away abruptly, wiping his cheek with a gloved hand. Despite everything, it made Harry’s heart clench painfully. He’d never seen Jay cry before.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen, Harry thought. Jay was supposed to rise to the bait, to yell and fight back like he’d done that day on the Isle. He was supposed to be every inch the uncaring, selfish asshole Harry had convinced himself Jay was when he abandoned him. He wasn’t supposed to be hurt, a kid who had seen his chance out of a bad situation and took it. He wasn’t supposed to be  _ sorry. _

“Harry?” Jay was facing him again, brow furrowed in concern. It was only then Harry noticed the wetness in his own eyes, noticed the tear sliding down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly.

“Gods,” he muttered under his breath. “We’re fucked up, aren’t we?”

Jay huffed a laugh. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Yeah I guess we are.”

Harry leaned back against the cool stone wall, and Jay did the same. There was still space between them. It never would have been there before, Harry thinks, and it feels wrong somehow. Right now he wants nothing more than to lean into Jay’s space, into the familiar warmth of his presence. He’d caught himself almost doing just that a lot since coming to Auradon, and had to constantly remind himself he hated Jay, or at the very least, didn’t love him anymore. 

Maybe if he said it enough it would be true.

He doubted it.

“Remember when we met?” Harry said, staring at the carved ceiling above them and trying not to remember the similar alcove at his beach. 

Jay snorted. “You mean when you pushed me off the dock, and almost drowned me?”

“How was I supposed to know ya couldn’t swim? Ya were gonna be a pirate, for gods’ sake. And ya were 10! I learned to swim when I was a toddler.”

“Your pirate crew are literally the only islanders that actually learn to swim. Everyone else doesn’t bother.” Harry glanced at Jay. The thief was smiling fondly. “Things were a lot simpler then.” He paused. “Even if I did have a crush on you.”

Harry jerked, startled. “Ya did?”

Jay nodded, still looking at the ceiling. “Mhm. You were too busy liking Uma to notice, though.”

“That obvious, huh?” Harry had indeed had a crush on Uma when they were younger, for quite a while, in fact. She knew, of course, and was remarkably uncruel about it. She just told him frankly that she was touched but didn’t feel the same. They continued to be best friends and Harry moved on, eventually.

“Hugely obvious,” Jay said with a laugh. 

“Mm. Liked Gil for a while too, come to think of it.”

“Gil? Wouldn’t have guessed he’d be your type. I’ve probably gone for Anthony Tremaine.”

“Tremaine’s a wanker,” Harry scoffed, but his stomach twisted at the mention of him.

“Yeah, but he’s a hot wanker.”

“He’s a shit kisser,” Harry grunted, crossing his arms. “Shit kissers aren’t my type.”

Jay looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. “You and Anthony? Never heard about that one.”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. At one point, Jay and Harry had listed to each other their previous flings and hook-ups. Anthony hadn’t been on the list at the time. “Yeah...it was after ya left.”

Harry viciously ignored the guilt caused by the slightly put out expression on Jay’s face. He also withheld the truth about his encounter with Anthony: a one-time thing Harry had initiated about a month after Jay left, slightly drunk on rum and heartbreak. He’d chosen Anthony because he was the exact opposite of Jay: pompous and slim, uptight and humorless. Harry couldn’t stand the sound of his stupid posh voice, but he’d hoped that it would help him forget.

It hadn’t worked at all. Anthony was nothing like Jay, and that was all Harry could focus on. It was all ‘ _ Jay would’ve done this’  _ and  _ ‘Jay wouldn’t have done that’ _ . It was maddening. And then, the first time his swirling thoughts were halted by the pleasure of Anthony’s hand in his pants, it had been Jay’s name to fall from his lips. Thankfully, Anthony hadn’t heard, but he’d been quite confused when Harry abruptly cut off their dalliance and stalked back to Pirate’s Bay, furious with himself. 

Jay blinked. “Oh. So, uh, are you two...like, a thing?”

“Why?” Harry asked, proddingly. “Got a problem?”

_ Say yes _ , he thought. 

“No, no problem at all,” Jay said. Jay crossed his arms and cast his eyes back to the ceiling. “You’re allowed to see whoever you want.”

“Right,” Harry said dully, shoulders dropping slightly with disappointment. He’d hoped Jay would push harder, maybe pushed for them getting back together. But maybe after all this time Jay had lost interest. 

“Why didn’t ya say goodbye?” Harry asked, a few silent moments later. “That’s the one thing I can’t understand.”

Jay sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I guess...because I was young and stupid, and a coward. Because I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. Because I was selfish. Because I thought I’d be back, and because...I didn’t think it’d hurt you as much as it did.”

A small, incredulous laugh burst from Harry’s lips. “Really? Ya know that I,” he swallowed. If Jay could say it, so could he. “That I loved ya, right? How would that not hurt me?”

“I guess...it’s like,” Jay paused consideringly. “I knew, but I didn’t  _ know _ . I knew it theoretically, but I didn’t fully realize, or maybe didn’t fully  _ believe _ that you loved me as much as I loved you. I know that sounds kinda bad, but does it make any sense?”

“Actually...yes,” Harry admitted. It was a feeling he himself wasn’t unfamiliar with back then; the disbelief that someone as wonderful as Jay could actually love him that much. Of course, once Jay left, Harry began to doubt whether Jay had loved him at all. Now, however, he realized that he’d been wrong. Jay really loved him, but everything had just gone so wrong.

“It doesn’t excuse it,” Jay said, rubbing the back of his neck. “And I’m not trying to excuse it. You deserved that, at least. You deserved so much more, and I’m sorry, Harry.”

Harry had been angry for so long; at so much. At himself, at Jay, at the King, at Auradon and the Isle and the universe for the shittiness of the past year. And partly, that anger was justified. But the barriers were down, metaphorical and literal. The path was open to him, and to everyone on the Isle. It was the age of forgiveness and second chances. Harry turned to face the former thief. 

“Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“I forgive ya,” Harry said. Jay sat up straight, and Harry could feel his surprised gaze, though he kept his own eyes up. Just a couple weeks ago, Harry himself wouldn’t have believed the words coming out of his mouth. But now, he found he truly meant them.

“You...you do?” Jay’s voice was almost disbelieving, but hopeful.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. I mean, it...when ya left, it really sucked. I want to tell myself I never would have done what ya did...but I’m not sure. If it’d been me and my friends invited to Auradon...I’m not sure I would have stayed either. So I forgive ya.” 

Jay smiled, wide and happy, and there was a fluttering in Harry’s chest at the sight. Again, he felt the urge to lean into Jay’s space. This time, however, he did lean in closer, and noticed with a thrill that Jay did the same. They both leaned in a little closer still, Harry’s eyes flicking down to Jay’s lips before—

“Harry! Jay!” Both Harry and Jay jumped at the cry of their names, shattering whatever haze had passed between them. Jane was hurrying towards them from the direction of the ballroom. “Come on, we’ve been looking for you! Mal, Ben, and Uma are going to give a toast!”

Jay frowned. “We’ve already had a bunch of toasts and speeches tonight.”

Jane grinned excitedly. “Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.”

Exchanging questioning glances, Jay and Harry stood and followed Jane back towards the ballroom.

“So, uh,” Jay said, quietly so Jane didn’t hear. “Friends?”

“Is that…what you want?” Harry asked, unwilling to acknowledge the feeling of disappointment rushing through him. “To be friends?”

“Uh, yeah,” Jay nodded, then his face dropped a bit. “Is...is that not what you want?”

“No. I mean, yes, well...I mean,” Harry cut himself off with a sigh. He didn’t want to be friends, not at all. He wanted to be  _ them _ again. But maybe too much time had passed between them. Maybe they’d missed their shot. Pasting on what he hoped was a convincing smile, Harry held out his fist. “Friends.”

“Friends,” Jay agreed, bumping their fists.

When they entered the ballroom, Jane led them up to the front of the crowd, where the rest of their friends were gathered. Up on a makeshift stage for the band, Mal, Ben, and Uma were standing, glasses in hand. 

“This is a momentous occasion,” Ben began, raising his glass and winking at Carlos, Evie and Jay. The three grinned as Ben talked, realizing he was quoting the speech he’d given the first time he ever met them, when they stumbled out of the limo into Auradon. What a long way they’d come since then. “One that I  _ know _ will go down in history as the day that barriers were broken, and that our two peoples will begin to heal, and begin a new path of unity.”

Mal continued: “To the citizens of the Isle, Auradon welcomes you as new friends. On the other hand, I welcome you as my home. No matter how crazy, or hard, or painful it got, the Isle was my home and my beginning, as it was yours. As we begin our new lives, undivided by barriers, let no one forget where they began.” 

“The past is ugly,” Uma said, and Harry couldn’t help but smile at her blunt truth. She stood tall and confident, and he glowed with pride. “There’s been hurt and anger and misunderstanding on both sides. We cannot change it. There is no going back. But that’s okay, because there’s something even better: going forward. We all have the chance, right here and now, to put the past behind us where it belongs. We all have the chance to make a new and better future for everyone.”

Ben smiled. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. This is a time of transition, of new and exciting opportunities, but there will be many roadblocks, many trials to overcome. And that’s why,” Ben paused. Mal took Ben’s hand, and together they turned to Uma, who looked confused. 

“Ben and I,” Mal said, smiling widely. “Would like to offer the position of Royal Advisor to you, Uma.”

Uma’s eyes widened slightly. She may have appeared mostly unaffected to everyone else, but Harry knew her well enough to see that she was utterly surprised. “Me?” She asked.

“You’re a leader, Uma,” Ben said. “You’re smart, and resourceful, and you care for people so much. Integrating Auradon and the Isle will be tough at times, and we want you to help us find solutions that protect and respect everyone, from both sides of the bridge.”

Silence reigned for a moment while waiting for Uma’s answer. After a stunned moment, she replied with surety: “I’ll do it.”

The crowd erupted into cheers. Harry himself whistled loudly, throwing an arm around Gil as they whooped noisily. Evie, Doug, and Audrey cheered as well, and Jay and Carlos high-fived between clapping. Uma smiled, shaking hands with Ben and fist-bumping Mal. 

Together, the three on the stage raised their glasses high.

“To our future!” Ben called, and the gathered crowd echoed back to him as they drank. 

“Congratulations,” Harry exclaimed as Uma hopped off the stage and rushed over to him and Gil. She smiled, and he could see the genuine delight in her face. This would be the perfect job for Uma; Harry was certain of it. She’d be incredible.

“Thanks,” Uma said, pulling both Harry and Gil into a hug. Harry grinned into the embrace, holding his two best friends tighter. Getting the sensation he was being watched, Harry lifted his head to see Jay, glancing at him over Uma’s shoulder. The former thief smiled but looked away quickly, rubbing his neck awkwardly. Harry sighed.

Uma pulled back, catching Harry’s attention. “Hey. Everything’s going to be okay now.”  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So close, yet so far, boys. Smh.
> 
> Also I love the idea of Uma being a kind of advisor/advocate for the Isle. She'd be boss at it.
> 
> NOTE: I know I usually do 3 days between uploads, but now the college semester is underway and I'm super busy! Therefore I'm increasing it to 5 days for now. Sorry if this disappoints anyone; I'll see you all on Sunday!


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